Cybercrime Reporting Tool Hijacked by Crypto Scammers

A national cybercrime reporting tool has been hijacked by scammers who use fake case numbers and staged calls to steal cryptocurrency. The scheme abuses trust in official processes and convinces victims they are following legitimate instructions from law-enforcement agencies.

How the scam begins

Attackers start by gathering personal details about potential victims. They submit a fake report through the cybercrime portal and use the generated reference number to build credibility. That number becomes the foundation of the scam.

Shortly after filing the report, scammers call the victim. The first caller pretends to be a law-enforcement officer. They claim the victim’s cryptocurrency is connected to fraud, identity theft or financial crime. The goal is to trigger fear and create urgency.

A second caller soon joins the operation. This caller claims to represent a well-known crypto exchange. They state that the victim must move their assets to a “secure cold wallet” for protection. Scammers describe the transfer as a mandatory procedure linked to the generated reference number.

Why the scam works

Victims trust the cybercrime portal. When scammers use an official case number, the entire scheme feels legitimate. Attackers rely on authority, urgency and procedural language to pressure victims into sending funds quickly.

The reporting channel itself remains functional. Attackers do not break into the system or exploit technical flaws. They manipulate trust through social engineering. This makes the scam harder to detect and easier to scale.

Risks for organisations and the public

The misuse of a reporting portal threatens confidence in public-safety systems. If criminals continue to weaponise official tools, users may hesitate to report real incidents. The shift also shows that attackers no longer rely on malware alone—they now exploit authoritative communication and convincing documentation.

Crypto users face higher risk because digital assets move quickly and cannot be reversed. Once victims transfer funds to the scam wallet, recovery becomes extremely difficult.

How organisations can respond

Organisations must address this threat through clear communication and strong user education:

Strengthen public guidance

• Explain how legitimate authorities contact users.
• Offer examples of authentic messages and valid procedures.
• Clarify that law-enforcement agencies never request crypto transfers.

Improve reporting-portal safeguards

• Monitor for unusual submission patterns.
• Flag repeated filings that use similar victim details.
• Review high-volume submissions from single sources.

Expand awareness programs

• Warn users about staged calls tied to case numbers.
• Encourage independent verification through official channels.
• Promote callbacks to verified numbers instead of numbers provided by callers.

How users can protect themselves

Users can reduce risk with simple actions:

• Verify every caller by using an official agency number.
• Avoid urgent crypto transfers under any circumstances.
• Refuse to move funds to “secure wallets” suggested by callers.
• Document suspicious contact and report it through safe channels.
• Treat any surprise claims about frozen assets as suspicious.

Conclusion

Scammers now misuse a cybercrime reporting tool to create credible-looking cases and pressure victims into crypto transfers. This tactic blends social engineering with the authority of official platforms. Clear communication, user education and careful verification help reduce the impact of this evolving threat.